Austin Allegro

Austin Allegro

The Austin Allegro was a model of car manufactured by British Leyland under the Austin name from 1973 to 1982. The Allegro was designed as the replacement for the popular and innovative 1960s design, the Austin 1300, designed by Sir Alec Issigonis, who also penned the radical Mini. In comparison to that generally well-received design, the Allegro is widely regarded as a poor design in almost every significant respect. As with the Morris Marina, the car can be widely seen with hindsight as symptomatic of the enormous difficulties facing BL during that period. The key factor that BL appear to have missed is that a much more useful and popular form of car, the hatchback, was emerging in Europe, with designs such as the VW Golf. These cars would go on to dominate the market for small family cars in the space of a very few years, yet BL doggedly stuck to the more traditional and less versatile booted design when they launched the Allegro. This was because of internal company politics; it had been decided that the Austin Maxi should have a hatchback as its unique selling point and that no other car was allowed one. This short-sighted decision hamstrung both the Allegro and the Leyland Princess, both designs naturally suited to a hatchback yet not given one.

1979-registered Austin Allegro
Larger version

The Allegro followed the convention of front-wheel drive coupled to a transverse engine, and a two-box four door body. Stylistically, it went against the sharp-edged styling that was becoming fashionable (largely led by Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro), and featured rounded, slightly bloated-looking panel work. This appearance - as well as BL's faith in it as a model that would help turn the company around - led to it earning the early nickname of the "flying pig". The car was offered in the usual drab range of BL's colours - notably beige, brown and green.

Technologically, the car featured an underperforming old-fashioned engine design, but kept the innovative hydragas suspension system that was pioneered on the 1300. The early models also featured a curious "quartic" steering wheel - that is, nominally a rounded square. This was touted as a sales feature though its merits were questionable - some felt that it was introduced because insufficient room had been allowed between the driver's legs and the base of the wheel. Later models reverted to a standard round wheel.

The Allegro gained a reputation for unreliability and poor build quality - another unfortunate nickname applied to it was the "All-Aggro". The Allegro was superseded by the Austin Maestro in the early 80s.